Furnace for melting and refining glass and other like purposes



` 1,636,151 July 19 1927 f J. s. sHAw l FURNAGE FOR MELTING AND REFINING GLASS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES Filed June 16, 1924 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 J. vS. SHAW July 19, 1927.

FURNACE FOR MELTING AND REFINING GLASS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, l1924 FatentedJuly 19', 1927.

1 vUNi'iiazn STATES 1,636,151 PATENT carica,-

Jomr scnormnn smiw, or Lnnns, ENGLAND.

FUBNACE FOB IELTING AND BEFINING GLASS AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES.

Application med June 16, '1924, Serial Nm 720,309, and in Great Britain August 23, 1922.

lIhis invention relates to the construction of furnaces for the melting, refining and `,working of molten glass, and for other like purposes.

5 In furnaces at present in use a solid bridge of'fireclay blocks is provided` and it is arranged betweenthe mel-ting and refining endsof the furnace, hereinafter termed respectively the melting tank and the rev fining tank. The molten glass iows from the melting'tank to the refining tank of the furnace underneath the solid bridge, and by the bridge being formed ofsolid tire blocks the heat and fiuxes in the metal rapidly destroy the bridge. y p

` There is also at present in use another device called' a throat, which consists of a `fire block coveied channel connecting the melting tank with the refining tank of the J2 furnace, and the molten metal flows from the melting 'tank to the refining tank through the throat. This arrangement in addition to being very costly is also very unsatisfactory in use. I

According tothis invention it is proposed in place of a solid bridge or throat mining the two said parts of the furnace together to place an additional wall between the said tivo portions. The 4dividing wall is provided with one or more dog holes or channels runnin@ through the said wall and fromthe end of one tank to the other end of the secondtauk, thus joining thetwo tanks together.

In the dividing (wall and transversely across the furnace are provided two air spaces open at one end to admit of cold air f or steam being passed through the said passages to a vertical Hue for conveying the 'cold air and steam away. These air spaces `are provided for keeping the dividing wall cool, as will be further explained.

The' air spaces and the dog holes or channels are arranged at right angles vto each 4B other. f

` In the drawings hereunto annexed the di- -vid-ing wall is shown applied to a furnace as described in the specification of U. S.

vAmerican Letters Patent granted to me under No. 1,359,7 56, dated 23rd November 1920, but I would 'distinctly have it understood that the application of the dividing wall is not limited to this particular construction of furnace but it' may be applied '65 to other furnaces requiring the use of an 'ditional wall.

' ney.

For convenience of reference the furnace is marked with similar letters of reference to ythose described in the before mentioned` specification, but the dividing wall and parts connected therewith will be marked with reference numerals.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation von line A, A, Fig. 2 of a glass melting and refining furnace;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on line B, B, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional, elevation on line C, C, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of bridge or i dividing wall` constructed according to this invent-ion and removed from Figs, l and a is a concrete foundation upon which the furnace b is built. c the space which forms the flue or combustion chamber between the tops of the melting tank and refining tank and the crown d of the furnace. e the gas chamber which may either communicate with the combustion chamber c through one or more lues f, or by a number of ues 1, 1, shown in dotted lines at Fi s. l and 2. g is the chamber in which the co d air is heated prior to reaching the passages n which convey it to the combustion chambei; c. h is a crown which forms the to of the fine g. i, i, are a series of fines w ich convey air from they front,right hand end,of the furnace to a transverse flue j arranged at the rear,left hand eud,-of the furnace. k, k are vertical fines communicating with the transverse Hue j at their inner ends, and at their outer ends with a series of short tubes m'which communicate with the flue g. The fines z may beprovided with a number of arches or crowns l, as

shown. p, p a series of longitudinal lues at the rear end of the furnace which communicate at one end with a transverse flue g and at this end also with waste gas line r for conveying the waste lgases to the chim- At the opposite or rear end of the flues p is a second transverse chamber s. The combustion chamber c and the chamber .s are connected together by a lnumber of vertical lues t and horizontal iiues u. o the flue for supplying the gas from a producer or other source.

The dividing` wall 2 which forms an essential feature of this invention is placed transversely in and below the combustion chamber c for dividing it into two ortions, namely, a melting tank 3 and a refining tank 4. These tanks may be of the same or .difl ferent sizes.

V- the dividing wall 2-is arranged a suitable height above the metal level 5, 5, (Fig. 1). The dividing wall may be of any suitable depth and width, and it is formed of a number of blocks of fireclay or other refractory material. In the dividing ywall is or are formed one or more dog holes or channels 6 which pass entirely through the said wall at or about a rightvangle to its outer surfaces for forming acommunication between the melting tank 8 and the refining tank l4 through which the 'metal melted in tank 3 can pass into and be refined in tank 4.

In the dividing wall 2, which practically forms a bridge, are provided two passagesl 7 and 8 parallel with the sides of the dividing wall, and which are arranged to extend a suitable distance from the covering slab or block 9 into, say, the second layer of blocks which form the dividing wall. ,y

Openings 10 and `11 are formed in one of the walls b for the admission of cold air or steam into the transverse Vpassages 7.and 8 in the dividing walls, and when steam is required to be admitted for causing a forced draught, then the nozzles 12 and 13,-which may be of any suitable construction,-are employed, and the inner ends of such nozzles 'are arranged to pass respectively into the passages 7 and 8. The opposite end yof the transverse passages 7 and 8 are arran ed to communicate with a vertical flue 14 which in turn is connected to, or is in communica'- ton with, one of the assages p. Each passage is independent o? the other eXce t having a common connection with the ertical passage 14 (Fig. 2), and aJ middle wall 15 1s formed in t-he centre of the ,dividing wall 2, whereby the fire blocks forming the dividlng wall at its portion nearest the end of the melting tank 3, and also the blocks of the wall nearest the refining tank 4, and the middle wa'll 15 are kept cool and the life of the furnace will be prolonged. v

VWhen ther blocks nearest the melting tankare worn through the molten metal in tank 3 will have to pass through the cooling chamber 8 and also through the middle wall 15 before it reaches the transverse passage' 7, and the metal will then have lost-a great dea'l of its power of destruction. Further,

before the metal can communicate withv the refining tank 4, except through the dog hole or holes 6, it will require to destroy the middle wall 15 before it can attack the blocks in the refining tank of the furnace, and before 60 oing so it wi'll be brought again in contact w1th the cold air and steam that passes through the passage 7 Other parts ofthe furnace may be as described in the before mentioned specification,

or of ordinary construction and the furnace In the drawings they are shown to be of different sizes, and in heightmay be fed' with metal and the. refined molten metal withdrawn in the usual and ordinary manner.

What I claim is `1. In a furnace for meltin and refining glass, a dividing wall, sai wall being formed of a plurality of renewable blocks, a plurality of passages extending longitudina1- ly through said wall for receiving a coolin medium, a central wall provided by sai passages and cooledfupon op osite sides by said cooling medium, 'ar secon series of passages extending transversely through said wall whereby the molten material upon one side of said furnace may pass to the other division thereof. n

2. In ,a lfurnace for melting and refining glass and other materials, the combination ofthe internal portion of the furnace which 'y receives the material to be operated upon with a dividing lwall having a number of lngitudina-l passages formed therein, one end of each passage communicating with the outer air for theV admission of cold air land 3. In a urnace for melting and refining i glass and other materials, the combination of a furnace having a series of longitudinal lues arranged on different levels below the bottom of the tanks of the furnace, a dividing wall for-dividing the main chamber of the furnace into two tanks for respectively melt-A -ing and refining the material nder operation, said dividing wall having formed therein longitudinal air and steam passages parallel with its sides, and a number of dog holes formed at a rightangle wit-hv the said longitudinal passages, a vertical passage with which the longitudinal passages communicate, flues for admitting and heatingcold air prior to being admitted to a combustion chamber arranged above the'said tanks, and ,flues for conveying tlre products of combustion away as set forth. A

4. In a 'furnace`for melting and refim'n glass and other materials, the combination o the internalpor'tion of the furnace which receives the material to a dividing, wall formed of a plurality of re- 4from the combustion chamber,

operated upon, of y.

newable members and having al number of Ilongitudinal air passages formed therein, a

vertical flue communicatinglwith said;4 air passages, and with passagesA arranged below the bottom .of the furnaceand communicate-- ing with a chimney, a number of transverse passages formedV in the dividing wall and exchamber,

.tending at an angle to said first mentioned 5. In a furnace for meltingv glass and other materials, the combination of a furnace hav-4 ing a`single chamber for receiving material, a series of longitudinal fines arranged on different levels below the bottom of the a dividing wall for said chamber, said wall being formedof a plurality of renewable blocks or slabs, longitudinal air passages formed in said wall and providing a central wall therebetween, said passages communicating 'with a vertical fine, and a number of transverse passages formed Vin the dividing wall and disposed at an angle to said first mentioned passages, and in a different plane therefrom," and flues for admitting and heating cold air prior to bein admitted to a combustion chamber arranged above said first mentioned chamber, and` flues for conveying the roducts ofy combustion away from the com ustion chamber.

In a furnace of the class described, the combination of a single chamber, a dividing wall arranged in said chamber providing two compartments for receiving the material under treatment, said dividing wall being formed of renewable bricks, passages formed in said wall and extending therethrough whereby air may be sup liedjto said passages for cooling the wal in contact with the heated material, a central wall formed by said passages, and a number of other passages formed in said dividin lwall and arranged at an angle to said st mentioned passages and in a different kplane therefrom for providing communication between theV two compartments, 'a vertical fine communiyeating with said air passages, and fines for conveying heated air to the combustion chamber and Vfor withdrawing the products of combustion tl1erefrom 'arranged above and below the said chamber.

JOHN SCHOFIELD SHAV. 

